McLaren chairman Ron Dennis has admitted Fernando Alonso's place on the grid at the first race in Australia is uncertain, but he expects the Spaniard to be declared fit to race by doctors and the sport's governing body.

The Death Row Records co-founder was taken to hospital for a third time after appearing in court after telling the Los Angeles judge he has been suffering from serious health complications and receiving inadequate treatment while in custody over a murder charge.

The Death Row Records co-founder was taken to hospital for a third time after appearing in court after telling the Los Angeles judge he has been suffering from serious health complications and receiving inadequate treatment while in custody over a murder charge.

From the indie band that brought you melodically spelt out words, obtusely offbeat drums, and an oriental string instrument, comes another album that seems to be about everyday occurrences in the trio’s flat.

We see it now: Last June I took Clicks to task about its misleading sale signs after a consumer complained that he’d decided to buy an electric blanket based on the shelf sign bearing the words: "Save 30%, All electric under blankets".

Venice is beautiful at any time of year but going in winter has some added allure, writes Anthony Horowitz. He recommends where to stay, which restaurants visit and what to do while you're visiting in this Italian city

Trisha Ahmed, the daughter of slain atheist blogger and Bengali writer Avijit Roy is urging everyone to share his story in this letter that first appeared on Facebook, and was then republished at the International Humanist and Ethical Union.

Central Africa's forest elephant population has declined 62% over the past decade, due mainly to poaching to feed Asia's demand for ivory, a conservation group said Tuesday.

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"There is a crisis
taking place in central Africa," said
Elizabeth Bennett, a vice president of the New York-based Wildlife Conservation
Society, which compiled the first comprehensive study on forest elephants
during 2002-11.

About 62% of all forest
elephants in the region have been killed over the past decade, largely for
their ivory, she said.

"The cause of this
massive decline is poaching, partly for bush meat, but primarily for ivory,
driven by increasing demand from the Far East,"
Bennett said.

The study on forest
elephants, a different species than Africa's more numerous savannah elephants,
was released at the 16th meeting of the Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) hosted by Bangkok this week and next.

The escalating slaughter
of African elephants is one of the key topics at this year's meeting that has
drawn about 2 000 delegates from the 178-member trade treaty.

CITES estimated about 25 000
African elephants were killed in 2011 and a similar number last year, most
poached to supply East Asia's market for ivory
trinkets, tusks and specialized items.

The tusks of forest
elephants are prized by Asian carvers over those of savannah elephants because
they are harder, straighter and longer, Bennett said.

"For certain things
such as for musical instruments in Japan, they are favoured over
savannah elephants," Bennett said. "That's one of the problems."

The Wildlife
Conservation Society estimates there are about 100 000 forest elephants
remaining in central Africa, compared with
about 400 000 savannah elephants.